Grilling Foods North Fort Myers FL

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Nutrition, How Your Grill Can Help Your Diet

By Erin Rogers

Summer is a great time to break out the barbecue grill and lighten up your diet! Grilling season doesn't have to only mean hamburgers, bratwurst, and steaks. There are many great choices for the grill that will keep you in great shape for all those fun summer activities. Rather than fatty hunks of meat or sausages, try grilling:

Marinades are easy to make and allow you to use some creativity in your cooking! If you're making your own marinade, plan on about a half cup per pound of meat. There are usually 3-4 components to a marinade. You'll definitely need an acid such as citrus juices, vinegars, or wine. This acid will serve to break down the protein tissues in the meat, which serves to tenderize. For flavor, you also need to include some oil (canola, olive, sesame, or other) and seasonings (salt and pepper, dried or fresh herbs, soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, ketchup, mustards, garlic, gingerroot, onion, chili peppers, etc). You also might want to add a sugary ingredient like honey, jam, or molasses to add a touch of sweetness and caramelization to your grilled food. About a quarter to a third of the marinade should be the acid, a few tablespoons should be oil, about a tablespoon of your sugar ingredient, and seasonings can really be however much you'd like.

Make sure to always marinate in the refrigerator. Large ziploc bags are great for marinating. Otherwise, use a shallow glass or plastic container. Avoid metal which will react with the acid in the marinade. The longer you marinate, it will also cut down a little bit on cooking times. Depending on what you're marinating, the times will vary. Here are some general rules to follow:

-- Large cuts of meat (over 4 pounds) - 8 hours to overnight

-- Smaller cuts of meat - 1/2 to 3 hours

-- Whole fish - 3 hours to overnight

-- Fillets of fish (depending on size) - 1 hour to overnight

-- Fruits and vegetables - 1 to 3 hours

Don't use leftover marinade for basting or as a sauce, unless you first boil it for 5 minutes to kill any bacteria. To prevent food from sticking to the grill, lightly coat your grilling surface with a small amount of cooking oil or spray. Some companies now make nonstick sprays specifically for the grill.

To ensure proper doneness, it helps to keep a meat thermometer handy at the grill. Here are temperature guidelines for different types of meat.